A Staffordshire boy died of a brain haemorrhage just hours after a doctor discharged him from hospital, an inquest has heard.

Ryan Morris, aged 12, was found dead in his bed less than 24 hours after he fell off a trampoline while performing a trick in January.

His mother, Julie Allsobrook, is understood to be considering legal action amid concerns that Ryan should have been referred to A&E under guidelines issued by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) for treating head injuries.

Ryan returned to his home in Heath Hayes, Cannock, shortly after the accident on January 4. When he told her about the accident, she called the local surgery and was advised to give him liquid paracetamol and let him rest.

But at 6.30pm, Ryan awoke in pain and his mother took him to Cannock Chase Hospital.

Ryan was discharged after a 15-minute examination at about 6.50pm and went to bed. He awoke at about 9.30pm still in pain, and asked to go back to the hospital.

"I told him we couldn't go back just for a headache. He wanted me to call an ambulance but I said you can't do that for a headache," explained Ms Allsobrook.

Despite checking on her son during the night, she found him dead in his bed the next morning.

Ms Allsobrook questioned the care Ryan received from Dr Delroze Miah, who examined him at an out-of-hours clinic at the hospital.

She said: "Ryan was in a lot of pain that evening and I wish I had relied upon my instincts and taken him back to hospital.

"I would have taken him back if I had not been advised by the doctor that everything was okay and there was nothing to worry about."

Karl Hirst, the family's barrister, asked Dr Miah if a patient with persistent headaches after a head injury would normally be referred to A&E.

"No," he replied. "If I needed extra advice or specialist help I would have admitted him. Any specialist intervention would mean observing him. I have managed lots of head-injury cases in my experience, but that was not necessary at this point."

NICE guidelines, published in June 2003, state that children with head injuries who suffer persistent headaches or have fallen more than one metre should be referred to A&E.

Dr Miah added: "I don't think there was a departure from guidelines.

"Ryan was seen by a doctor with A&E skills, who has the same or even more skills than a junior doctor or senior house officer who would probably have seen him at the hospital."

Ms Allsobrook claimed Dr Miah did not tell her to observe Ryan and not to let him sleep.

She said: "If he had said for me to watch him, I wouldn't have let him go to bed. If you're observing someone you don't let them go to sleep, I'd have kept him up or at least stayed with him if I'd been told."

Ms Allsobrook also expressed concern that he failed to check Ryan's blood pressure and pulse. Recording a narrative verdict, South Staffordshire Coroner Andrew Haigh said: "Any issues of clinical negligence can be argued elsewhere.

"What I will say is I am satisfied there was, at least, a basic examination of Ryan and I am satisfied that there was no gross failure."

Mr Haigh went on to add: "Clearly, there are issues regarding diagnosis and possibly treatment. In the circumstances, I think this matter is best dealt with by a narrative conclusion."

After the inquest, the family's solicitor Mandy Williams, of Birmingham-based law-firm Irwin Mitchell, said possible legal action was being considered.